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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Investigation Reveals Old Picture of Baby Gorilla Amani
It has been exactly one week since we rescued Amani from traffickers at Goma Airport. The investigation is ongoing, which is why I cannot yet reveal certain details.
However, what I can say is that we are finding out more and more about how this poor gorilla ended up at the bottom of luggage in a plane. For example, we have uncovered this picture, which shows Amani in the room where she was being kept by traffickers in Walikale:
This picture makes it clear what conditions Amani was being kept in (not sure for how long, but vets reckon several months) while the traffickers tried to find a client. It also explains why whe was in such bad shape when we found her.
This morning I went to see Amani in her new enclosure, complete with grass and trees. She was busy tucking into a breakfast of apple and bananas. In the picture above you can see the bandage put on her on Thursday by MGVP vets.
Amani probably hadn’t been in the sun for a long time, so it was good for her to catch a couple early morning rays which help her process vitamins efficiently.
Andre (AKA “The Gorilla Whisperer”) tells me that she drank 1 liter of milk (1050 ml to be exact) which is a great sign. However, we are all still very very concerned about her leg and are looking into bringing in a portable x-ray machine to help the vets discover if there is a bullet inside her leg and thus decide if full surgery is necessary.
She has a long way to go, but at least she is going in the right direction already.
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22 Responses to “Investigation Reveals Old Picture of Baby Gorilla Amani”
Pierre, all who rescued Amani, and all who are protecting and healing her, should be proud of doing their very best to save this beautiful animal. Iris
Thank you Pierre for the updating and the pics even if they are painful. Hope this lovely girl will improve thanks to all of you.
Susana P. (Argentina)
Tanks for the update.. no coments for the firts picture. i send a lot of good energy.
Doesn’t she look so much better already after just a week!
Well done to Amani, her rescuers and her carers.
What horrifying conditions! How anyone could look at her like that and see only dollar signs rather than suffering is monstrous and beyond comprehension.
I have no doubts as to her well-being while she’s with you all, but I do wonder what happens once she’s healthy. Is the plan to ultimately re-introduce her into the park once she’s rehabilitated, or will she need to remain in a reserve for apes who have been kept in captivity for so long that they don’t have the necessary skills to make it in the wild? Is she young enough to “catch up” on her education and become integrated with one of the park families? Is there a family with a silverback mellow enough to accept her without posing a threat to her own safety?
This is such a sad situation.
It warms my heart to see how much better she looks in such a short space of time. Keep up the good work. If only all mistreated animals got the same chance of life.
I love animals so much, my deepest passion lies with them. I would like to thank everybody involved. You are all doing an awesome job, i take my hat off to you all!!!!!!
Seeing things like this really makes my heart bleed ( I do not know how else to describe the feeling).
HUMAN CRUELTY KNOWS NO BOUNDS.
I just want to say thank you to all those involved in the capture of the man that did this to Amani, and to those who are taking such great care of her now! Heroic efforts indeed!!
Thank you for rescuing and caring for Amani! How anyone could do this to her is beyond me. Will trafficking ever stop?
no me queda mas que felicitar al equipo por esta labora tan maravillosa, ya que esto da esperanza de poder visualizar un miundo mejor junto a estos ejemplares seres. felicidades desde Chile, Sud America
It truly gladens my heart to know that there are still such caring people in the world.Saw some really distressing photos recently of animal poaching in the Kruger Park here in South Africa & God knows how thse animals suffered in snares that are set by these lowlife poachers! Keep up the good worl & Dod Bless you all
I love these beautiful creatures so much and it makes my heart smile to know that Amani was rescued and is getting the best possible care so that she has a long life ahead. I can’t even express the anger I feel knowing that poachers have no conscience in killing mother gorillas and taking their babies away for profit. Please continue your wonderful work to save these gorillas.
the work you do is amazing…keep it up the animals are counting on you
I am certainly praying hard that the man who was arrested spends a very long time behind bars for doing this to this precious baby. I would like to see him locked up in a room with very little food and no sunshine so he can see what his cruelty feels like.
Dear Pierre,
Congratulations for your job. I am sure that you are very proud due Amani.
Yours sincerely, Diego
although I have hardened myself to the conditions humans can keep animals in and the cruelty we can inflict, I am shocked every time I see pictures like these. Thank goodness for you guys! Thank goodness Amani was given another chance to experience love and happiness
Great work. I’ve been a rehabber for 59 years now and the second photo tells the tale - unless there’s a serious infection under that bandage (or a bullet) I’m hoping Amani has a much better life ahead.
Here it Thailand, there’s a gorilla in a Department store roof top zoo that I’ve been tryng to get free for the past eleven years. The only result that pressure brought was the owner purchased two more babies to keep it company. Anybody have any ideas how we can apply enough international pressure to get these three gorillas back into trees?
Ling Yai, Phuket, Thailand
I am so happy there are still people like you who saved Amani the mountain gorilla baby!!!! :-))) And don´t underestand how somebody can treat animals so bad like on the first picture… :-(((( I do wish to Amani a much better life with a lot of love and happiness and hope her leg will get well as soon as possible!!! Regina Hauserova, Czech Republic
Quelle bonne surprise et quelle émotion quand je vis apparaître Amani au journal de 20h sur TF1!!! Le journal télévisé le plus regardé de France!
Le reportage n’a pas duré très longtemps mais nous avons vu le passage ou l’on découvre Amani dans le sac, l’arrestation du braconnier (et cette fois son visage était découvert!), et l’oscultation de la petite par Dr Eddy(?).
La présentatrice à rappelé le triste sort des Gorilles en Afrique!
Ce fut court mais quelle victoire qu’ils en parlent au 20H de TF1!!!!
Good work!!!!
thankyou sooooo much!!!!!! i reallly believed that animals are way better than humans but when i see people like you i cant get to decide… thank you for doing what you did!!
[...] MGVP vets had noticed that her skin was dry and flakey (left). Now that she is on a better diet and general living conditions, her fur is glossier and her feet now look normal [...]